I don’t know whether I should bother reading it so that I can respond to it; or send it back. The polite response would be to ignore it. I’ve never been accused of being polite. Any suggestions?

I see no reason to be rude about it. Tell them you loved it, couldn’t put it down, read it in one sitting, compelling arguments, but you still think Abdul Jabbar and Chamberlain were better centers that Shack.

Beam - 30 March 2009 04:31 PM

Here are some of the endorsements.

When the imagination of a writer and the passion of a theologian cross-fertilize the result is a novel on the order of The Shack. This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress did for his. It’s that good!
Eugene Peterson, Professor Emeritus Of Spiritual Theology,
Regent College, Vancouver, B.C.

This is as opposed to Material Theology?

“I am one of the few people I know who has argued in print that torture may be an ethical necessity in our war on terror.” Sam Harris October 17, 2005

but you still think Abdul Jabbar and Chamberlain were better centers that Shack.

The REAL question is which one was more (clears throat) prolific. (It wasn’t Bill Russell.)Wilt the Stilt claims that he bedded more than 20,000 women. At 2 per day that would take more than 27 years. How the hell did he have enough energy left to set so many records?

This is as opposed to Material Theology?

The extra word is necessary so that conservatives can understand what it means and subsequently be impressed by the title. The redundancy is necessary to make up for the lack of purpose of the position.

Real honesty is accepting the theories that best explain the actual data even if those explanations contradict our cherished beliefs.-Scotty

I don’t know whether I should bother reading it so that I can respond to it; or send it back. The polite response would be to ignore it. I’ve never been accused of being polite. Any suggestions?

Do the people who gave it to you know you’re an infidel? If yes, then ignore it, and if they ask you about it remind them you’re an atheist. If no, then look them in the eye and calmly tell them you’re an atheist and the implication will be you won’t read it. If they hound you about atheism then claim they opened the door and give them both barrels, which should get them off your back.

I don’t know whether I should bother reading it so that I can respond to it; or send it back. The polite response would be to ignore it. I’ve never been accused of being polite. Any suggestions?

Do the people who gave it to you know you’re an infidel? If yes, then ignore it, and if they ask you about it remind them you’re an atheist. If no, then look them in the eye and calmly tell them you’re an atheist and the implication will be you won’t read it. If they hound you about atheism then claim they opened the door and give them both barrels, which should get them off your back.

Everyone here knows that I am an atheist. It makes me something of a pariah. For years coworkers attempted to “save” me. I willingly debated religious nonsense for a long time until I just started telling people to stop wasting their time and mine. The arguments were always the same nonsense that we have all heard ad nauseum. I thought that they had (thankfully) given up until I was given this book. At least a dozen people have asked me whether I have read it. I tell them that it (like the Bible) is fiction. So far, I have been responding that if I am going to read fiction, then it will be something that is well written. I suppose I’ll just have to waste an hour and read it so that I can respond appropriately.

Real honesty is accepting the theories that best explain the actual data even if those explanations contradict our cherished beliefs.-Scotty

As for the book, I’m puzzled… seems a rather odd gift. Do your co-workers think that the main reason you are an atheist is because you personally can’t resolve “the problem of evil”?

I’d tell them I’d be glad to read it if they would be willing to read either Shermer’s book (nice selection McC) or Irvin Staub’s Roots of Evil in return.

Who knows what in the hell they think? They constantly accuse me of being “mad at God.” I can’t seem to make them understand that there is no god to be mad at. I suppose that they simply cannot imagine an absence of superstitious belief. I like the advice that you and McC gave. I’ll tell them that I’ll read their crap if they read Shermer or Staub. That should shut them up. They wouldn’t dare read such satanic verses.

Real honesty is accepting the theories that best explain the actual data even if those explanations contradict our cherished beliefs.-Scotty

Well, then. . . they are the ones who have poor manners, and you’d be justified round filing the book right in front of them without a word. You may even have a case of religious discrimination on your hands if you went to HR and got nasty about it. “Hostile work environment” anyone?

But that’s me. I don’t have experience living in a Christian monoculture.

You may even have a case of religious discrimination on your hands if you went to HR and got nasty about it. “Hostile work environment” anyone?

You are right; and I would love to have the satisfaction of going to court. For practical reasons, I’m not going to take that route. I actually like most of these people. I just think they are highly deluded. In west TX, there are no truly secular work environments. I’m afraid my kids would be the ones to suffer if I put up a fight. Besides, that would just give them justification for hating atheists.

Jefe - 01 April 2009 04:43 PM

Is it a hardcover?

No. paperback $14.99 US

If so, slide the dust-jacket over a copy of “Tropic of Cancer” and leave it laying around the staff lounge.

You dog, you!

Real honesty is accepting the theories that best explain the actual data even if those explanations contradict our cherished beliefs.-Scotty